


The Hanged Man

by justhavesex



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alpha Hannibal Lecter, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Dogs, Hannibal is Hannibal, M/M, Mpreg, Omega Will Graham, Romance, ex-cannibal lecter, mentions of abuse from wills ex, similar to love is an illusion with dominate alphas and omegas, they have lots of children lol, this is mostly family fun fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:28:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26311906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justhavesex/pseuds/justhavesex
Summary: Will Graham had never wanted children before, but he had never considered it to be a consequence of his omegan brain not finding anyone worthy, but the moment he had met Hannibal Lecter he had been filled with want.In which a dinner party one-night stand results in a pregnancy that changes Will's entire life.
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 20
Kudos: 402





	1. Maya Lecter

**Author's Note:**

> sooo to anyone that hasn't read love is an illusion in the manghwa it has dominate alpha/omega's along with recessive alpha/omega's i kinda went with that idea in which dominate alpha's/omega's are more rare 
> 
> this isn't really all that like dark for a hannibal fic, if anything its just them having a giant family and having loving fun 
> 
> i have a bunch written for this already so lmao ill actually try to update pretty regularly

Will does not like asking people for favours, let alone people he _knows_ but asking complete strangers for help truly crosses the bridge of things he's uncomfortable with, but at the moment he doesn't have much of a choice.

"Will!" He hears the angered cry of his partner behind him, and gently Will cups his stomach, peering down at the small bulge of it. He had finally begun to show about two weeks ago, much to his beta partner's anger because there should be no way Will is pregnant with _his_ child. And he's right, Will isn't pregnant with his child, but the child of some random alpha he had met during a dinner party that he had accompanied Alana too. He didn't know why he had felt compelled to allow the random alpha to fuck him raw. The primal feeling of it had been intense and he couldn't _help_ himself. Trying to explain that to Alex, however, seemed futile.

He had ended up purposefully dating a beta man for two years because he didn't want to have children, wanted to avoid the possibility at all cost, but when he had been at the party mildly tipsy as he had gazed upon the alpha in front of him, he had thought maybe having _his_ children wouldn't be so bad. It was completely omegan, and Will still hates himself for the decision. The smell had been intoxicating and it had been so, _so_ long since he had last felt satisfied. The way the alpha had grabbed the back of his neck, pinning Will down as he had slid himself into him balls deep had made him feel like those olden day omegan whores boys in school had teased him about, but it had felt so good.

He hears Alex skimper past him, and Will listens carefully for five seconds making sure Alex has long passed him before carefully running towards the vehicle, ignoring the loud _whoosh_ of blood that enters his ears as he starts the car, revering it backwards and slamming down on the gas to lurch the vehicle forward.

He knows where he needs to go, it's simple really, the alpha would be able to tell by scent he's pregnant with his child and he'd feel the instinctive need to protect Will, and that's exactly what he's banking on right now. He can't stay with Alex anymore or he fears the child really will die. The hits had become more frequent, more aggressive and closer to his stomach than he's comfortable with, and for some inexplicable reason that Will doesn't want to think much into, he can't let that happen.

In a flurry and unable to draw how he had been able to accurately remember where the home was he exits the vehicle, feet raw and bare from running around in the frozen snow and dirt from trying to avoid Alex's anger and heads straight to the door.

He brings up his fist and for the first time hesitates. He remembers once Alana telling him that people are more likely to listen to someone that can accurately sum up the situation as quickly as possible. "Okay," Will says out-loud, wanting to practice verbalizing it before he's actually confronted with the strange alpha that he had a one-night stand with. He doesn't need him to care for him forever, he doesn't even need him to want to raise the child with him, all he needs is temporary shelter until he can figure out what he should do. _Summarize_ , he thinks, trying to cool down his panic and before he can even rationalize what to say the door creaks open.

"Good evening," Doctor Hannibal Lecter says, the door opening up to show the entirety of Hannibal standing in his pajamas with a robe wrapped around him, and Will for a second manages to realize it's probably sometime in the morning, way pass the late evening he had originally thought it was. Hannibal still smells just as good as the first time they had met and Will allows his shoulders to sag forward in relief. Hannibal probably can smell him and Will hadn't moved his hand from his stomach, but he makes no comment, simply stepping aside and motioning for Will to enter, "Please, come in."

"Thanks." Will murmurs, shuffling in and sighing in relief. Hannibal had operated exactly as he expected, Hannibal would at least feel instinctively obligated to protect him until Will's anxiety and fear lessened, which gave him at least 24 hours to plan what he should do next. Alex isn't exactly easy to escape, they had been engaged before the entirety of this and Will had signed the documents that made him legally Alex's. Even if Will ran, until he formally divorced Alex, Alex would have the legal right to Will's person.

But even in the law there's gaps. Omega's will always prominently more so be the property of an alpha than a beta, and in the home of the alpha he's carrying the child of he's legally entered territory that Alex cannot get him from.

"There we go." Hannibal says, and Will blinks, looking down and realizing that Hannibal had been crouched down before him rubbing his feet clean with a towel. He can't tell if it was simply cause he was worried Will's feet could be hurt or if he didn't want to let Will wander in with dirty prints into his clean home.

_Summarize_ , he remembers, before panicking and blurting out, "I know I'm in your way and I don't care if you want me here but I need to hide here until I have a plan of what to do, I need to—"

"I can summarize the situation myself, Will." Hannibal interrupts, a hand coming up behind Will's shoulder and guiding him into the home, and Will blearily realizes at some point Hannibal had draped his robe over his shoulders, and Will nervously tugs the thing closer over him feeling comforted by the scent, "You have come to me for protection, therefore, I shall offer it."

"Oh," Will says dumbly. For some reason he was expecting Hannibal to act mildly put out or _something_ , but Hannibal allows him to enter under the guise of perfection, completely calm and mild. Not quite sure what to say, he blurts out, "I'm pregnant."

"Yes," Hannibal says, his lips raising at the corners slightly to show amusement before helping Will sit down on the couch and Will glances around the home, looking for any signs of other life. He hadn't heard about Hannibal being married or having a mate, but its always hard to tell with alpha's, they don't carry the same marks omega's do when they are mated. "I'm guessing you are trying to advise me it is mine."

Will nods numbly, feeling disjointed from the entire situation. He knows alpha's feel the instinctive need to protect pregnant omega's, but Hannibal doesn't even seem that surprised by the entire situation, as though Will had told him something he had known about for weeks and was expecting Will to come barreling through his door at god-knows-what-time. Weakly, he offers, "Yeah, sorry."

Hannibal pauses before he seems to move towards the kitchen coming back with a cold glass of water and offering it to Will, "No need to apologize, it is our nature."

He doesn't ask to clarify what he means by _that_ , but still Will sinks down into the couch, wrapped in Hannibal's robe and sipping carefully on the water. He feels better than he has in weeks and he's not willing to say something that would mess all of _this_ up.   
  
  


* * *  
  
  


When he wakes up its to the smell of breakfast being cooked and Will blearily moves into the kitchen, putting to the back of his mind that he had fallen asleep at some point last night before waking up in a bed, before he can get half way down the stair case Hannibal is in front of him. Will doesn't comment on how Hannibal reaches to grab one of his hands the other hand coming around Will's waist to assist him in walking down the stairs.

Will huffs, "I'm pregnant not fragile."

"You are injured." Hannibal offers simply once they reach the bottom, carefully guiding Will to the table and sitting him down on one of the chairs, "You are still very early in your pregnancy and a miscarriage is high assuming you've been taking beatings since the pregnancy has begun to show."

"Oh." He doesn't ask for clarification, numbly looking down at his stomach and feeling guilt rise like bile to his throat, he had thought omega's were pretty resilient in pregnancy which is how they had survived being mated to alpha's of all things, but to know he could have inadvertently caused his child's death simply because he had refused to go to Hannibal's side right away out of stubborn pride makes him feel stupid.

"Once you've eaten we'll go to the hospital, I have arranged for an appointment with a colleague of mine." There's a clack of plates and cutlery moving before Hannibal is whisking into the dining room, placing down a plate of eggs and toast in front of Will with a flurry of gravitas similar to what Will had found so amusing during the dinner party. Hannibal sits at the head of the table, across from Will, "I have contacted another acquaintance of mine that is a lawyer and can help you in divorcing your partner."

Will blinks, glancing up, "How did you know?"

"Alex Brutz," Hannibal says, knife in one hand and fork in the other with a sausage and eggs in front of him and it strikes Will weird that he had made them different meals, before Hannibal cuts his sausage sharply in half. "You have been engaged for a mere 3 months."

Will swallows down the first forkful of scrambled eggs, "Yes."

"If you don't mind me asking, what was an omegan man doing with a beta? It is not a common pairing," the question is light and airy, as though Hannibal truly doesn't care for the answer and Will is briefly entertained with the idea that Hannibal probably actually doesn't care. In his mind Alex is probably a blurry inconvenience that had the pleasure of touching an omega even though he shouldn't have. Will has found that the people most curious and displeased by Alex are alpha's in general, finding him dating Will as though going against nature itself.

"Didn't want to date an alpha," Will admits to, choking down another forkful and avoiding Hannibal's curious gaze. More pointedly he adds, "Didn't want children."

"I see," Hannibal says in a gentle hum, "Well, I am not surprised. A dominant omega as yourself probably finds most alpha's disgusting." Will stirs briefly, looking at Hannibal in brief shock because how had he known _that_ , before he diverts his eyes back to his plate, clutching his fork. "Now Will, is it really that surprising? I'm sure you've realized I am a dominant as well."

"I know." Will grits out, "I've never met one before."

Hannibal smiles, all teeth, before continuing to eat his breakfast.

"Most... most alpha's think I'm a beta at first," Will admits too hesitantly, glancing away from his plate to the decor around the room. Hannibal's tastes, if anything, are... morbid, he'd say. He focuses his gaze on the center piece, a small skull with flowers blossoming from it. "Usually takes them a couple of meetings before they realize I'm an omega, and then they think I'm a recessive omega."

"You cannot blame them, Will," Hannibal chides lightly, "They are not to recognize you as an omega because they should not be with you, it is that simple. In a way, to them, they are the same as beta men are to you."

"Beta men that can actually get me pregnant," Will adds, more sharply, before sighing. Feeling suddenly defeated. He had never wanted children before, but he had never considered it to be a consequence of his omegan brain not finding anyone worthy, but the moment he had met Hannibal he had been filled with _want_. "I don't know, guess my nature flared up when I met you."

"I am honoured," Hannibal says and Will isn't sure if he means it mockingly or not.

"I'm surprised you don't have an omega though," Hannibal looked to be about 30 in his prime and by his own admonition a dominant alpha. He had thought that dominant alpha's were the types to settle down the closet most fertile omega they could find and start popping out as many heirs as they want, but the entire home seems untouched by children or an omegan mate. "Sorry, that was rude."

Hannibal stands and grabs both their plates, "I had never felt the inclination for children, if I am being honest." Will, suddenly curious, trails after Hannibal into the kitchen despite Hannibal's soft and careful ' _please sit_ ', wanting to hear the rest.

"But?" Will asks, eyebrows bunching forward because Hannibal in their frenzy had been the one to mouth against the front of his neck, right under his chin, cock hard and pulsing and ready to push into Will, ' _I wish to knot you'_ and Will had been too turned on to say no. Because he had wanted Hannibal so badly, so desperately.

"A change of heart, I guess. You were not even in heat that night so I fear for my rationality when you actually do go into your first heat after giving birth." Automatically implying that Will would give birth and Hannibal would continue to care for him. He feels stupid at the pleased hum that shoots through his spine, instinctively stepping in closer to Hannibal until he's practically at Hannibal's back.

"You'll want more," Will acknowledges eyes suddenly focusing on the back of Hannibal's neck in understanding, he wants to add ' _from me_ ' but bites his tongue, because he has a feeling Hannibal isn't the type to appreciate obvious statements.

Hannibal's gaze glistens darkly, before he turns, holding his hand carefully near Will's stomach with a ' _may I_?' and Will nods, watching in fascination as Hannibal lays his entire hand across the expanse of his flat stomach, taunt and filled with their child. He's briefly struck by the idea of being at home, constantly heavy with Hannibal's children as their other's run around the home happy and giggling as they make a mess of all the expensive things Hannibal loves, and Will has a feeling Hannibal would let them in resignation.

Will is still young, a mere 22 years old and he's a dominant omega his pregnancies are shorter compared to beta women and omegan women, he could probably get pregnant enough to scratch the itch of need him and Hannibal are currently feeling, Hannibal wouldn't even need to take another mate, Will would be happy to concede to his wants by himself.

Hannibal seems to crowd in on him, head bowed to be at the crevice of Will's neck and Will gulps in realization he had probably been letting out pheromones, aroused at the idea of carrying Hannibal's children and being fucked constantly until he's pregnant again. _Like an omega_ , he can't help but think, it wasn't the life he ever wanted or ever saw himself in, but he's not about to back away. Right now, he wants this.

"Does that please you?" Hannibal practically purrs, hand coming down and stroking Will's stomach gently, "Yes, I am struck by the current want. You are young, your next will probably be a mere month after you give birth and then I will knot you during your heat, getting you ready for our next."

Will doesn't even recognize the pathetic whimper that escapes him as his own, but it is, definitely his, and Hannibal pulls them tighter against each other, and Will feels a hot heat coil in him, forcing him to grind forward, looking for _something_. "While I impregnate you with our second child I will mark you, would you like that, Will?"

"I..." desperately he wants to whine out ' _yes, yes, yes_ ' but he knows he's being overwhelmed by the scent of his alpha being aroused, not actually thinking of the implications. Hannibal—playing dirty, if Will is being honest—cups the back of Will's neck roughly and Will keens pathetically, hating how much his body bows just to the touch of Hannibal holding where he'd be marked. "Hannibal—"

"Turn around, Will." Hannibal says gruffly, voice tinged with arousal and Will pathetically obeys. They are practically _strangers_ and yet he's already thinking about giving this man as many children as possible and letting him mark him the moment his heat starts. _Instinct is terrifying_ , he can't help but think, feeling himself shiver as he feels his own slick sliding down the inside of his thighs, causing heat to rush up his neck up to his ears. "Good," Hannibal purrs and Will bows forward, forehead coming to rest against the counter top.

"Can we?"

"If you want," Hannibal says, hands appreciatively, running down the inside of Will's thighs and he knows Hannibal can feel the slick already leaving him, showing he's already ready for Hannibal to fuck him right here against these counters. "It would not harm the baby, if that's what you are worried about."

"Okay, okay," Will babbles spreading apart his legs and gripping the counter more properly as he feels Hannibal lean forward, sliding down Will's pants gently and Will shivers when he feels the cold air hit his body, "Do it quickly."

Hannibal hums gently, "Are we rushed?"

"God, _yes_ ," Will hisses, not bothering to hide his impatience and he doesn't need to look back to know Hannibal is tugging himself out of his own pants, feeling the tip press against his hole and he moans appreciatively, hoping it'll spur Hannibal forward and into action. And he's right, Hannibal snaps his hips forward, letting out a low groan when he's pushed all the way, making Will shiver and clamp around his dick.

The first time they had slept together it was been careful, lots of foreplay despite their frenzied want for each other. The first time, even though they were practically strangers, they were doing _love making_ , not desperate frenzied fucking. This time feels more desperate as Hannibal pulls himself backwards, hips snapping forward more sharply and Will rocks forward keenly whining. Hannibal works on a brutal pace, snapping himself in and out as his hand sneaks forward and pumps Will with his thrusts and Will practically blacks out at the pleasure.

Its when Hannibal leans forward, teeth gently nipping at the base of his neck does Will release all over the cabinets and the floor, trickling down his legs and feels the after affects cause him to convulse for a solid ten seconds afterwards as Hannibal continues his brutal fucking, before his hips snap forward _once_ , the base of his knot bulging outwards and snapping them in place before Hannibal begins to release inside of him in large hot spurts.

Will finally stops shaking, taking in two large inhales to calm himself down before his hand comes down instinctively to cup his stomach. "Is knotting me okay?"

"Yes," Hannibal murmurs, gently licking at the back of Will's neck that forces him to shiver appreciatively, but his dick doesn't stir, too spent from what they just did. Hannibal shifts gently, wrapping his arm just above where Will's small bulge of his stomach is, pulling Will backwards so he can lean his back into Hannibal. "It is good for the pregnancy though I must admit it will likely be uncomfortable for you," Hannibal says, pausing and Will can feel the shiver of arousal that slides through Hannibal again. Will blearily remembers the first time Hannibal had knotted him and impregnated him his knot had allowed Hannibal to come inside him at least three times, and Will had woken up with his stomach bloated to the same size it currently is due to his pregnancy.

"Uncomfortable?" Will lolls his head backwards onto Hannibal's shoulder, in this position with his back arched his stomach looks bigger than it actually is. Hannibal, half distracted, nips gently at Will's right ear.

"I apologize for the discomfort that will soon settle in you," Hannibal says, forehead leaning forward and placing itself onto Will's left shoulder, carefully he pushes away Will's hand that was cupping his stomach, instead taking over with light feathery touches over it.

Will huffs, his eyes closing just briefly, "Didn't we have a doctor appointment?"

"Soon," Hannibal says gently, and Will can already feel himself slipping away, "After you rest."  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


He wakes up, his body slightly sore from the bruises littered due to Alex and his hand instinctively flies to his stomach, glancing down and frowning when he realizes it looks mildly bigger than before.

He's briefly annoyed, convinced that maybe Hannibal had been lying to him simply so he could knot Will, but Will reaches for his phone that had been put on the desk the first time he had been brought up here to sleep last night, frowning at the 6% battery and 45 missed calls from Alex, two from Jack, and six from Alana. Sending a quick ' _I'm fine'_ text to Alana before pulling up google and searching ' _is it good for an alpha to knot you while you're pregnant_?' confirms quickly, that Hannibal was not lying to him.

He's about to shut off his phone again when Alana's name flashes across his screen and after a couple of seconds of debating he answers her call.

"Will?" She asks, sounding half-relieved and half panicked and Will briefly entertains the idea that Alex had told her that he was out of his mind, attacked Alex and then disappeared. "Where are you?"

He wonders briefly if Hannibal would want them to keep _this_ a secret, but then realizes abruptly they had just fucked cause they had been so turned on by the idea of having more children together and doubts Hannibal has the ability to hide a whole family from the whole high society. "Hannibal's." He admits easily enough, groaning softly as he sits up just a bit, back still against the bed frame.

"Hannibal's?" She asks, sounding briefly confused.

"Yeah," Will acknowledges, "I'm pregnant. With his kid. So, if you could tell Alex a lawyer will be in contact with him to send the separation papers I'd really appreciate that, Alana."

"Oh," Alana says, sounding mildly breathless, "Uh, yes of course, Will are you—"

"I'm going to a doctor today but I should be able to return to work tomorrow." He can hear Hannibal approaching, keen hearing probably having alerted him that Will was awake, he hadn't yet discussed with Hannibal on the whole 'him working' situation, but he wasn't about to quit his job half way through the university semester, he only had two months left to go anyways and then he would be able to retire and raise his children properly with no regrets.

"Okay." Alana concedes, "Let me know when you're all settled so I can come visit you, Will."

"Thanks Alana, I appreciate it."

"No problem," she says, probably smiling in that half-forced way she always does.

Hannibal creaks open the door softly, just as the line clicks dead, "How are you feeling?"

"Okay. Sore." Will admits to quickly, and Hannibal approaches carefully to help him off the bed. "Thought you were bullshitting when you said knotting is good for the pregnancy, but I googled it."

Hannibal smiles thinly, "I do have a medical degree, Will. You need not worry if I'm lying to you."

Will blinks, briefly surprised before he tempers it down. Why would it be surprising? Alpha's, especially a dominant alpha, would be drawn to positions of high power which need high levels of education to complete. They like to show how intelligent they are, it is in their foundation. Intelligence, power and capability to show how excellent they would be at supporting their families.

"Why can't you do my check up then?"

"We need specific equipment to do it and I do not specialize in omegan pregnancies, I am a surgeon." Hannibal says, before opening up the closet and picking up a small t-shirt that Will is sure Hannibal had been intending to throw out, "We will need to go shopping for clothes for you."

"Not today, I'm tired already."

Hannibal's scent flutters, amused and pleased and Will wrinkles back his nose confused by it. "As you wish."  
  


* * *  
  


He's three months along into his pregnancy.

The first two weeks in living with Hannibal had been the hardest, they both took time into adapting to each other's presences and getting used to each other outside of just sex. Sex, though, was always great and Will had no complaints on that front. He had thought Hannibal would be more traditional and forbid him from his job, but Hannibal had simply looked mildly displeased before advising Will that he would need to be careful with his health.

Will had understood quite quickly why Hannibal had allowed him to keep his job until it was done immediately due to Hannibal's irregular and long hours, Hannibal had probably wanted him to keep busy as he was working. Parts of him were worried because Hannibal's current lifestyle seemed so incompatible with having lots of children, scared that maybe Hannibal would decide he wanted to leave all the child rearing to Will, their children only knowing Hannibal as a father figure in name but not in practice.

Alex had come around to his workplace office once, two weeks after the papers had been served stating that Will was no longer legally his, but ownership transferred to Hannibal Lecter to give back the signed papers. Alex hadn't said anything, looking almost resigned by it, "Good for you." Alex had even said, gulping nervously as he waved towards Will's stomach.

He had told Hannibal the recollection of the events with fascination, but maybe Alex in that moment had seen him and understood for the first time since their meeting that Will was actually an omega, both in practice and in paper. Feeling stupefied, Will had offered his own apologies to Alex for cheating on him. Hannibal had frowned when he had told him that, but Will is starting to understand that Hannibal only pretends to have regard for other people.

"Will," Jack says barreling into his office at 4:56 PM, 4 minutes before Will is able to book it and head home. Will doesn't stand up or move, hand purposefully pressing onto his stomach and briefly meeting Jack's eyes to read ' _this better be good, Jack_.' "Alana wasn't kidding," Jack says in lieu of greeting, eyes focused in fascination on his small pregnant stomach, "Thought you always said you weren't into the idea of families."

"I wasn't," Will agree's easily enough. He really wasn't, not until he had laid eyes on Hannibal.

"Also not into the idea of an alpha controlling you." Jack seems more pointed with this question, trying to direct it into a ' _whose permission do I need_?' and Will feels a flare of annoyance at the assumption that Will let's any alpha hold him on a leash. He doesn't ask for permission, him and Hannibal discuss things like two adults in a relationship.

Will sighs, tossing his papers to the side and shooting a desperate glance to the clock reading '4:59'. Not leaving on time, then. "What do you want, Jack?"

"Ripper scene. I need you to confirm it."

Will pauses, his entire body tensing and looking up at Jack with wide eyes. Ripper scene? No, that couldn't be right, the Ripper operated in sounders of three usually 2 years apart, but this is too soon since the last bunch of kills. The Ripper doesn't escalate, doesn't feel the need to kill. He simply _does_.

"Let's go," Hannibal would be home in two hours and Will doesn't want to have to explain that he had decided it was important to drag their unborn baby to one of the most disgusting scenes in the world.   
  
  


* * *  
  
  


The scene is wrapped, literally.

Will stares in wonder at all the plastic that separates officers from the body, as though the Chesapeake Ripper was suddenly deciding to avoid any health contamination out of consideration for them, the scene screams _Ripper_ , but its all wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

The Ripper kills without meaning, without any rhyme or reason, he just does like one that breathes, but this is... "This is gift wrapped." Will says, nose wrinkling back in disgust, stepping forward, there is flowers stuffed into the lungs of the body. Incisions along the legs that are stitched back up, flowers shoved into them more, overflowing.

"No parts are missing, he's deviating." Beverley points out, stepping in behind Will, and Will can't tear his eyes away from the scene. Daises, Daffodils, Lilac, Fairy Lilies. All flowers that mean rebirth, with tinges towards family, children. At base of the feet is bouquet of chrysanthemum's along with the heart draped delicately with the bouquet, but not gone. Still present.

"No, yes," Will, the position of the body is all wrong, the victim hung by a single foot, his other cracked and placed as to be bent, flowers escaping him like a penance. Logically he can tell the entire scene is presented as the Ripper, but the entire scene screams _emotions_ , not art. "The hanged man, what does that mean?"

"Thought you'd ask," Jimmy says popping up from behind Beverley and handing Will over his phone. Will stares down at the words, feeling them blur before him, making him feel blind almost, "Quick google showed 'letting go', 'breaking old pattern's. Is the Ripper letting go of something?"

"He's stopping being the Ripper."

"What?" Jack barks, barreling in from the side-lines as though summoned by those words alone, "What do you mean?"

"The hanged man, the bouquet, the cut out organ still at the scene. Something's changed, he can't take his trophies anymore." Will mumbles softly, "This victim was important for some reason. Not for himself, but for what he symbolizes."

"Alex Brown, 41 years old worked at a construction site, beta and married—"

"He couldn't kill who he wanted to kill. Too obvious." Will whispers to himself, stepping closer as though drawn by the flowers, watching how they swirl and bleed into each other like a water painting. "He's retiring as the Chesapeake Ripper, he wanted to show his dedication to his new life. ' _I am going to give this up for you_ '. But not you, not you," the eyes of the victim are closed, and Will looks up at them, "You were never meant to lay eyes on them, but I do not blame you, men like you don't know your limits..."

"What's changed?" Brian interrupts this time and Will is half tempted to demand they all leave so he can get to why he's really here, but Will frowns at the flowers. It feels like love, parental familial love.

Will's mouth opens slightly, suddenly struck, "Family."

"You telling us the Chesapeake Ripper has decided to settle down?" Brian asks, voice tinged with heavy doubt. "I mean if he plans to permanently retire I can't say I'm upset."

"But then we'll never catch him," Jack grits out, his tone coming out slightly more desperate and Will glitches mildly.

Carefully he offers, "That's the point. He can't have you catching him anymore, his new life is too important. He never killed because he had too, he simply did it for amusement, but now he can't risk whatever is in his life now." Absentmindedly he reaches for his stomach, petting over the expanse of his stomach, he holds back the words ' _he has mate that's pregnant_ ' because for some reason he doesn't want them to peer at his unborn child as though they are in a similar place as the child of the _Ripper._

"So this is it, huh," he hears someone say and Will sympathetically pats Jack's shoulder as he walks away from the scene, not wanting to close his eyes and reconstruct it.   
  
  


* * *  
  
  


He retires officially when he reaches six months, his stomach now at the point where he looks like he belongs on the poster of ads relating to alpha-omega family lives, the happy pregnant mate heavy with child as the alpha looms behind them.

"I will quit once we are closer to the due date," Hannibal advises him over dinner one night, fondly grabbing at Will's hand and squeezing, "Take time off for awhile before I begin my new career."

"New career?" The baby is due in a month and a half, a tiny bit quicker than the normal 9 month span pregnancies for most people, but omega's bodies are quite literally more efficiently built for pregnancy. Just shy of 8 months, it feels weird to think that soon his child will actually be real and tangible in the real world.

"Yes, psychology. I have the necessary degree for it, my hours would be more regular so I can contribute better."

_Psychology_ , Will curls his lip a bit at that because psychiatrists are not his favourite cup of tea, but Hannibal doesn't seem like the kind of man to psychoanalyze his own spouse. _No wait_ , Will pauses, glancing up to Hannibal who meets his eye and offers a careful fond smile, _he definitely does already, just doesn't say it out loud_.

"Should I be worried?" Will is half-amused at the prospect that Hannibal had quite literally changed his entire career on the dime simply because he had been moved by the idea of having a house full of small pitter-pattering feet, wanting to be around and actually help Will. Because even the best of omega's go completely insane after a certain amount of children if they are the only ones doing the child rearing.

"About?"

Will pushes back his chair slightly, hand glazing over his stomach to purposefully draw attention to it, pleased when it draws Hannibal to look at him with hot longing. "Don't the doctors recommend spacing out the amount of children?"

Hannibal pauses almost as though electrified before he stands, moving quickly and quietly before he's kneeling before Will, putting their hands into each others. _That excited about the idea of knocking me up once his ones out, huh_ , it is amusing. Amusing and weird that he's decided he's suddenly onboard with the idea. "For beta women, yes." Hannibal concedes, "For omega's it is advisable to wait until their heat comes after pregnancy."

He had been a lonely child, constantly wishing his mother didn't disappear without first leaving him a sibling he could bond with despite the fact that they were dirt poor. He wants them to be close in age, two older siblings to guide however many younger ones they decide on because he doesn't want the eldest to feel burdened all alone.

"Okay," Will admonishes, before quietly conceding to, "Well, let's first see how this one goes."

Hannibal's eyes crinkle up in a small genuine small, "Of course, Will."   
  
  


* * *  
  


Maya Lecter is born at 7.5 pounds, a small little being that is marked as an _alpha_ the moment the doctors test her blood. A first born alpha, Will isn't exactly superstitious or really into the whole 'macho alpha' culture, but he knows the eldest alpha child always tends to butt heads with their alpha parents, its in their DNA to do so.

Still Hannibal fawns over her immediately, impressed by her little endeavor to hold his finger every now and then. They bring her home after 3 days and Will still feels like hes on some sort of post-pregnancy high that makes his brain think 'its fine I won't be able to sleep for the next three years' because Maya is beautiful. She has the typical baby blue eyes, her face round and fingers nimble. She's their baby, their very first baby.

Being honest he had thought after labour and the first week of waking up 3 times a night would make him want to dive right off the deep end and retract from having any future children, he was almost considering the idea of letting Hannibal take on a mistress because while Hannibal did quit his job and go on an indefinite leave of absence that doesn't mean Hannibal is actually going to contribute.

Unsurprisingly, Hannibal does contribute.

"Have you slept enough?" Hannibal says as greeting as Will descends the stairs, hesitating mid-way when he spots Maya thrown over Hannibal's shoulder blankly staring at nothing as she sucks absentmindedly on Hannibal's probably very expensive shirt. They have currently taken to the routine of Will waking up during the night to breastfeed their child (until two months, it is best for Maya) Hannibal had said, focusing on Will getting uninterrupted sleep during the times he's not breast feeding. Sometimes—much to his growing horror—he'll wake up to the sensation of something nibbling on his nipple to realize Hannibal is holding their daughter to his chest as he sleeps.

Will shrugs, holding back a yawn as he wanders forward to them, carefully stroking Maya's nose who seems to respond to him always in a stir of awareness that she never offers Hannibal. He can't decide if it is cause his scent startles her or because she instinctively thinks of him as a milk-bag and is excited to eat again.

With Hannibal she's always dead quiet, like an animal trying to play dead. When he had told Hannibal this he had looked thoughtful before peering down at his child curiously as though he wished he could ask her, ' _do you play dead in my arms_?'

Hannibal turns once Will has efficiently stirred Maya up enough, leaning forward to offer a quick chaste good morning kiss that still manages to stuff butterflies all the way into his stomach, lodging his throat. Will chokes out a soft, "Good morning."

"Good morning," Hannibal agrees, passing Maya carefully over into his arms, "Now that you've settled enough we should look into using the breast pump."

"It hurts." Will grumbles, kissing the top of Maya's head who offers no reaction aside from a wided-eyed blink. In media he always see's newborns that are active and _do_ things, but he had been disappointed to realize that babies don't even laugh or giggle right away, let alone _smile_ , they really just have no idea what's going on for awhile until suddenly they do.

"Yes, but then you can sleep and I could feed Maya at night."

Will shoots Hannibal a weird look at that, the question of ' _why do you even want to be up_?' close to falling from his lips, but Hannibal has always been hovering awkwardly near Will while he feeds as though trying to be indirectly part of the situation. He blinks, suddenly realizing, of _course_. Hannibal is an alpha, he likes providing, making dinners and showing he can take care of them, probably feeling skirted that he can't even provide their daughter with nutrients of any kind.

"Okay," Will accepts grudgingly, he'll do it for Hannibal but the damned pump does actually hurt a lot and it's not like he's producing gallons of breast milk everyday. 

Hannibal seems surprised if his lips curling slightly at the corners are any indication. "Thank you," Hannibal acknowledges, pleased. 


	2. Alexander Lecter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> beepy boop. 
> 
> Ok so i follow a lot of hannibal fans on twitter and i gotta say yall are insane LMAO

Once Maya reaches the month milestone they settle on inviting a few close friends to come meet their daughter. Really it's two of his friends and the rest are Hannibal's acquaintances, at best, but still its nice to show off his family.

"She's so cute," Alana admonishes, smiling brightly to Maya and attempting to coax her out of Will's arms, and reluctantly, he lets her go. Maya seems to hold still in Alana's arms at first, nose wiggling slightly to attempt to scent the person holding her—dad or mom?—before she begins crying when its neither. "Definitely an alpha," Alana laughs gently, passing her back to Will's arms which Will accepts gratefully.

"Do alpha's not like the scent of betas?"

"No, not particularly," Hannibal says, appearing from across the room as though summoned by Maya's small outburst, Will wordlessly passing their daughter over to him, "Though they are also not fond of other alpha's either. It is why alpha's were considered more highly regarded when they got to a certain age, as their survival was more unlikely."

_Because their omegan mother's were slaves in the back rooms being fucked as the alpha's paraded around their motherless children like trophies_ , goes unsaid. He can see it now, even Maya who doesn't seem to dislike Hannibal still fights when her father when he tries to give her milk instead of Will, only three days ago had Hannibal finally successfully got her to eat from him but it was 3 AM and Hannibal had stolen one of Will's shirt's to wrap around her as she ate.

"Especially dominate alpha children," Will adds on uselessly, shooting Hannibal a wry smile, "No wonder she's so fussy when you try to feed her."

Alana seems to stir a bit at the realization of what Will had just implied, "Dominate? I thought only dominate alpha omega pairs could have dominate offspring, though I guess there is outliers."

"Yes, well, fortunately she is not a medical mystery." Hannibal says coolly, carefully tucking Maya into the crook of his arm before tilting his chin slightly to Alana, "I had rudely left my conversation with Phyllis and Jack, so if you will excuse me."

"Oh, yeah, no go ahead," Alana says numbly and just as Hannibal crosses the room leaving him and Alana alone and secluded more towards the kitchen she asks carefully, "Did I bring an unmated dominate omega to an unmated dominate alpha's home inadvertently?"

Will huffs, half amused, "Yeah. I was really surprised."

"That Hannibal was a dominate alpha?"

"To meet a dominate alpha," Will corrects.

"I guess you do kind of smell like an omega," Beverly says, popping in behind Will and shamelessly _smelling_ him and he recoils away from her, shooting a careful look to where Hannibal is pointing to one of his paintings and probably explaining how he had acquired it to Jack's poor, poor wife. "No wonder it was always so weak."

He never really cared for Beverly's over-familiar antics, acknowledging her more as beta female than anything because she was never overtly alpha to him, but still, it doesn't take a genius to know that Hannibal is more of the traditional alpha type that wouldn't enjoy seeing his omega being man-handled. Zeller and Brian follow closely behind her, Zeller rolling his eyes at Beverly, "Let's just be happy Will, _our_ grumpy beta-dating Will, has a kid and is dating an alpha."

"Yeah, but, I thought you the two of you would be mated," Beverly says arm slung over Will's shoulders and smiling to him with wiggling eyebrows, "How scandalous, two dominates and they have a child without being _mated_."

Alana shoots her a fond smile, shaking her head almost at Beverly.

"Haven't had my heat yet," Will says, shrugging her off him. He had seen Hannibal pouring over the calendar, eyes concentrating deeply as though trying to get Will's heat to start with want alone. He knows Hannibal wants to mark him, and soon, probably bothered by the same shit Beverly says almost mockingly because nowadays who cares about _marks_?

"I don't mean to lecture you on omegan biology," Zeller offers, raising his champagne glass to which Beverly responds back with, "But a mark requires a knot and a knot requires no condom."

Alana at this point chokes on her drink mildly at that.

"I know," Will offers back, dipping his head forward and wishing he just hadn't said anything, like a normal person. Who just casually admits to their friends him and Hannibal plan to fuck with the intention of having another so soon after their first.

"Where is the first kid?" Price interrupts as Zeller opens his mouth to probably say something completely inappropriate that would continue this conversation and Will is kind of glad _his_ acquaintances have decided to all join each other in a huddled circle off to the side and away from Hannibal's pretentious asshole friends.

"The first," Hannibal says from behind Price, eyes glossing carefully over where Beverly is standing practically leaned up against Will, before turning more with a smile to Price, "Is here."

"Oh, cute," says Price not bothering to reach out to act like he wants to hold the kid and Will smiles at that. Hannibal doesn't seem deterred though, if anything pleased that Price hadn't reached out with grubby hands to hold Maya, before Hannibal slides within their circle and taking his place besides Will.

"Her name is Maya Lecter," he holds out his empty hand to his daughter, watching as she carefully stirs at his voice. Feeling slightly more parental than usual he reaches out to her, plucking her from Hannibal's arms.

"Cute kid," Beverly agree's, smiling down to Maya and Maya peers up at her with big eyes, unblinking in their curiosity to soak up all the information around them. More cheekily she adds, "I can see why you already want another one."

Hannibal seems to gleam at the idea that Will told his friends about their intention for another child, dark glistening eyes focusing in on Will with fondness that he doesn't know exactly how he inspired it.

He feels lucky, at times, while other times he's waiting for the shoe to drop, for someone to pull up the curtain and go ' _surprise_!' and he knows it'll come.

It always comes.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


"Loin served with a Cumberland sauce of red fruits," Hannibal says with gusto, placing down the dish carefully in front of Will. After a week of Hannibal sneakily offering ' _I can make us something nice_ ' and being deterred by Will's blunt efficiency of just wanting to make some sort of soft pasta that Maya can eat and won't be fussy about, he had relented into Hannibal making them a nice meal.

_'After all_ ,' Hannibal had said whilst his hand was pressed against Will's stomach, eyes sparkling, ' _Soon we will be too busy_.'

They would be, Maya had turned into a fussy newborn baby into a fussy 10 month old baby that likes to hang off of Will at all hours of the day and when she can't hang off of him she sadly sulks herself against Hannibal, reluctantly following him around like its such a pain. Hannibal had advised him it was simply alpha instincts, even if Will is her parental figure, she wishes to protect the omega of the household. He had said it with such pride that Will hadn't snorted outright, but he had truly wanted too.

Soon her brother would be joining them at the table and Will worries about how well she'll adapt to being the eldest and no longer her parents center of attention.

Hannibal had returned to work when Maya had reached 6 months, only taking on a small handful of patients with the expectancy that he wouldn't be able to work full-time when their second child decided to come along. Will sighs heavily, rubbing at the top of his stomach and scowling down at their son, who is, four days late.

Hannibal as though sensing his irritation looks up from where he is politely telling Maya that she has a bib to wipe off her excess, before remembering he was speaking to a literal baby and taking the bib himself to clean her face from excess soggy pasta. "He will come when he is ready."

" _I'm_ ready," Will grumbles, stabbing at his _loin_ with pettiness.

"It is important you behave yourself, Maya," Hannibal informs her solemnly, "You will be your siblings eldest sister, you must help guide them."

Dedicated she stares back at her father with wide eyes before sensing she's being spoken to bubbles out a happy ' _dada_ ' before smacking a stray noodle on her tray harshly. Hannibal nods sharply at her, as though satisfied, and Will watches them confused if he's missing something or if Hannibal really believes their ten month old can understand a single thing they tell her aside from ' _no_ ' which she stubbornly pretends not to understand.

"My father is arriving tomorrow," Will sighs out, taking a small bite of his dinner before wincing at his tone of voice. He doesn't want his children to think ' _mom hates grandpa_ ' because those kind of things will eventually leak out to said grandpa. Still, even at the ripe age of 25 and about to have his second child, he finds it difficult to connect with his father on a adult level. "To help. I guess."

"I know Will," Hannibal says gently, as though Hannibal hadn't been the one to pay for the flight for his dad from Louisiana. Will has savings, of course, from his teaching days and from the sale of his house when he had moved in with Hannibal but Hannibal had sagely told him 'to always have some money stored away'.

Nervously he licks his lips, "Do you think Maya will be okay?"

"We won't be gone long, a couple days at most." Hannibal advises, wiping the corners of his mouth and turning to Maya who has cleaned her little tray, looking at Hannibal with utter boredness of being trapped in her high chair. She's gotten better at waiting until they all finish eating, though, having fought Hannibal on that tooth and nail before losing her will to battle him eventually. "Plus, I will check up every now and then, the hospital is nearby."

"Right," he concedes on, nervously pushing the decorative bits on the plate to the edge and smearing the perfect gloss of the sauce. Will, wanting to be a good parent to his children had decided to start therapy with Alana in a kind of casual not really serious kind of therapy, where sometimes Will says his feelings and sometimes Alana offers advice and Will had mentioned to her that he hadn't even spoken to his dad about Maya being born.

Which of course was met with the advice; invite him over.

Nervously he reaches out to brush his fingers over the mark on the back of his neck, a habit he's taken on that Alana has ideally avoided mentioning. It is rational for him to take comfort in his mark, he's an _omega_.

"It will be fine, Will." Hannibal says, picking up Maya and cradling her to his chest as they both turn to look at Will, and in that moment, Will is struck by the thought that Maya truly does look like Hannibal more than him.   
  
  


* * *  
  
  


"Fancy house," Robert Graham says in a rough grumble as though displeased with the fact that their home is _nice_. But Will can see it in the way his dad stands, glancing around the decorative bowls and plants probably thinking 'this isn't a place kids can live in' but more the accusation that it's not somewhere _Will_ should live in.

He swallows.

"Yeah, thanks," it isn't as though he really put anything into the home aside from his shirts (that Hannibal threw out aside from the ones that can be used for 'fishing') and his fishing stuff he hadn't really contributed to the home. He had sold his house and moved into Hannibal's without much fanfare and never really cared if they had a bunch of decorative bowls or if that painting of a swan came from Nazi Germany or god knows where, but still, its _his_ home.

His hand lands onto his stomach, Hannibal bringing his dad's luggage into the home with Maya snugged carefully onto Wills hip, watching the new stranger that's entered the home with rapt attention. She does this with most people, especially when Hannibal isn't close and present. Very alpha of her, is what Alana had said with a small eye-crinkle in amusement when Will had spoken about it.

He wonders idly what Hannibal and his dad spoke about on the ride from the airport to Hannibal's home and if it was civil enough or if Hannibal is going to whisper into Will's ear tonight ' _your father will leave tomorrow._ ' with no room for argument, and Will isn't sure if he will want to argue.

"Almost gave me a heart attack when you called me boy," his dad says stiffly, eyes focusing in on Maya who focuses back on him, her little hands grabbing tightly at Will's shirt. Will shifts her slightly, further away from his stomach wishing he could just put her down, but she'd throw a fuss and he doesn't want to have to bend down to pick her up right now.

' _You need to connect to him as an adult, even if its in small steps, Will_ ,' Alana had said, leaned forward with her hands clasped in front of her, smiling kindly.

Small steps.

"This is Maya Lecter," he introduces his daughter carefully, "I told you about her."

"Yeah the little dominate alpha, huh? When you came out a dominate your mother and I were in disbelief, fussy thing you were, even for an omega." His father says, tinged almost with fondness and Will feels himself sag a bit in relief. His dad has never been the greatest at being kind always not quite understanding Will because while he was an omega he was a bit more omega than others, especially in his young childhood, but he should have known even his dad would be moved by grandkids. "Found a rich alpha and decided to start popping out as many as you could."

And abruptly he feels himself wind right back up, his back straightening and shoulders pulling back, not even hearing Maya's alarmed ' _dada dadada dadad_ ' which blearily he realizes she wasn't calling for him, but for _Hannibal_.

' _Very alpha of her_ ,' _Alana whispers into his ear_.

"Yes sweetheart?" Hannibal says, appearing like a shadow behind Will and dipping forward to pull her from Will's hold, before carefully leaning forward to put his nose to the mark on the back of Will's neck. Inhaling. Will sags at the motion, relief flooding through him, and his dad eyes him carefully, "We apologize, once she gets used to your scent she'll let you near her and Will."

"And Will?" Robert repeats, looking almost disbelieving, "I need her permission to be near my son?"

"To her you are a stranger and Will is her omega," Hannibal advises primly and Will can tell exactly how well that car conversation went. Hannibal pleasantly engaging in superficial conversation as his dad snapped back with barbed words.

"You get used to it." He shoots his dad what he hopes is a comforting smile, but it feels too tight and sharp. "She was picky with Hannibal when she was still really young, so don't be offended."

His dad startles back at that before smiling faintly, shooting Maya a fond look, "So anyone that's not your mom get's the stink eye, huh? Little bugger."

"Pretty much," agrees Will, stepping aside to let his dad pass the threshold.

He can imagine Alana beside him, right at his back her eyes shimmering in pride before they turn black, seeping into a black pool of _nothing_ , before Hannibal's face registers before his eyes again.   
  
  


* * *  
  
  


Their second, promptly named Alexander by Hannibal's insistence, decides to come three days after his dad's arrival. Will had been terrified at the prospect of leaving Maya as she hadn't yet been separated from both Will and Hannibal at the same time, but as they left Hannibal had scented Will in front of her, gave her a kiss on her forehead and had said gently, ' _I will bring Will back so do not worry my little warrior_.'

Hannibal who had been going back and forth between the home and the hospital after the birth had advised Will that _yes_ Maya was fine, she seemed to be calm with her grandfather, but anxious for Will's return, he could tell. That and Hannibal confided that he could almost feel her judgement every time he entered the doorway minus Will in tow.

Alexander came out at a heavier 7.7 pounds, chubby and screaming for two hours after his birth, Hannibal had seemed disgruntled and amused at the same time and Will was so exhausted he hadn't really understood what was happening until they were somehow already home four days after the birth.

Maya's eyes had locked onto the small bundle the moment they entered, probably perking at the scent of yet another dominate alpha entering their home. He had worried for a second that maybe Maya would cry or reject or hit or do _something_ but she had seen Will and smiled before focusing on her destruction of the blocks on the floor.

"Well, let's take a look at him," his dad grumbled, standing up and peering down at Alexander and smiling softly to him, glancing up at his own son. "Think this one will look more like ya?"

"I'm doubtful," Will whispers, not wanting to stir him yet.   
  
  


* * *  
  
  


Maya is a terrible toddler.

Apparently Alex's birth had symbolized to their children that Hannibal is their provider, not an enemy, and unlike Maya had, Alex does not share the same reservations with Hannibal. Happy to be in the arms of his alpha father or Will, and uncaring if he's being fed by either one of them, even finding Maya feeding him interesting during the few times Maya shows interest in Alex's existence.

Maya had taken on the same type of behaviour. Suddenly Hannibal was _daddy_ , and she loved daddy. While Will was undoubtedly still her favourite (and he's certain he'll be the favourite of all their alpha children) her reservations were gone. Now she willingly chose to trail after Hannibal, babbling in half-nonsense to her father half the time about things, and other times helping Hannibal do anything (while breaking and destroying whatever Hannibal was trying to do).

He has, however, noticed new habits popping up.

Maya while she doesn't seem to care if Hannibal leaves or comes back—just happy and attentive when Hannibal returns—Will doesn't have that luxury, if he is not leaving with Hannibal she throws fits that have resulted in a few thousand dollar vases being destroyed, her anger directed at _Hannibal_. He's not exactly a child behaviourist, but he hadn't realized exactly what _provider_ meant to small alpha children until Hannibal's old colleague specializing in child psychology, Dr. Sanjay Singh, had visited and advised them her behaviour was normal.

"It upsets her because her father is in a position of trust," Dr. Singh says, smiling tightly down to Maya who peers back up at him, eyes narrowed. "She trusts him to protect them and Will, so if she sees Will in a position where he's _not_ being protected, she will take up her duty as the second alpha. It will get better with age, when she is more rational and less instinctive. I understand it is difficult at times but there's no way to force her to understand that you're fine to wander off yourself."

"Will Alex be the same?" Will asks, already feeling tired at the idea that his children are planning to keep him house bound, and he had thought Hannibal was bad enough himself even without their small little enforcers that are against Will so much going outside on the deck alone.

"No, no," Dr. Sanjay waves up, offering a placating smile, "It isn't his 'job' to enforce his father."

Hannibal, at the very least, is intrigued by the idea, almost. As though he finds it amusing their alpha children wish to control their other parent, but to Will it is very much not amused. He had resigned from his job and took up a position of a typical house-omega, but now he's starting to regret it. Every day gnaws on him, forcing him to feel bored, unchallenged, rotting away in a cage he's made for himself.

"Dominate alpha's follow strict hierarchy, your second likely will just follow the chain of command set by his eldest sister, as any other children if they are alphas. We aren't exactly in a 'survival' kind of area though, so I imagine these kind of instincts are tempered out with age. Well, it is hard to tell. Dominate alpha's aren't exactly an easy group to study." Which Will can imagine, vividly, he can't even imagine a bunch of dominate alpha's willingly putting themselves in a study. Too prideful and self aware, they _know_ who they are. "It would be best simply to assume the children will act as you had when you were young, Dr. Lecter."

"I see," Hannibal hums in acknowledgement, dark eyes glossing over their two children before a light smile tugs the corners of his lips, he raises tidily, tugging down his suit with smooth hands before the doctor raises slightly, falling after Hannibal who has decided this would be enough. _Rude_ , Will wants to remind Hannibal, but he's more so curious as to why Hannibal would suddenly want the guest that _he_ invited over, gone. Politely Hannibal offers, "Thank you sincerely for your help, please get home safely."

"Of course," Dr. Singh says, curtly shaking hands with Hannibal before the door closes sharply in front of him.

Will counts to twelve, first, "I think that was the rudest thing I've seen you do."

Hannibal seems to shoot Will a withering look at that, stiffly wandering into the room and reaching to pick up their daughter who makes a small noise of protest from being interrupted from playing with her blocks. Will watches keenly, tracking the movements and confused. He's realized before but Hannibal has a tendency to act more _cagey_ whenever his childhood is mentioned.

_Bad childhood_ , and Will had left it at that, not willing to poke at Hannibal's demons when Hannibal was so ready to close them off completely.

"I was quite protective." Hannibal says, voice almost far away but his gaze is on Maya. He doesn't say of _who_ , though, and Will imagines a small Hannibal at the feet of his omegan mother, gaze drawn up to her in adoration, as all alpha children do. Until they grow up and are filled the entitlement. Disgust for the _slutty_ omegans that gave birth to them. The _was_ is past tense, though. Will had suspected as much, as he's never heard about Hannibal's family even in passing. If they were alive and on tense relations, similar to Will and his dad, Hannibal would have mentioned them even in consideration at some point.

"I imagine your mother was quite beautiful." Will offers, hoping it comes out as condolences, to alpha children their mother's are important to them, he hopes even in old age his children will consider his existence important.

"She was." Hannibal agree's, rattling himself away from his head before offering Will a wry smile, "She was killed when I was still young, along with my father. Later, my younger sister had died under my charge as well."

_Traumatic_ , Will bites his tongue at that not wanting to interrupt the important the point Hannibal is suddenly trying to get at. He can imagine a young Hannibal shivering and cold, feeling like a failure that was unable to protect his younger sister, his omegan mother, in his mind he was probably the exact same as whatever killed them.

As though sensing Hannibal is upset, Maya coos a soft ' _dada_ ' at him, which drags a smile to Hannibal's face.

"I can only hope my experience will not be applicable to our children."

Will swallows roughly, Alex holding tight to his finger and yawning in that small cute way he always does. Always tired, whilst Maya is always energetic. He feels a phantom pang at the idea of his children being forced to grow up without him around, he would miss every moment of their life. He'd become their secret pain trapped within their heart, they'd think of him and feel like they failed their omegan mother even if he died of something untreatable.

Like shutters his emotions are abruptly cut off, Hannibal straightening out his body—Will always finds the action so fascinating, as though Hannibal can choose when to feel and when not too—and holds Maya up, putting them nose to nose and inhaling the air of her, "Should I ever not be around I have the utmost faith she will protect our family."

Will huffs, "I _was_ a cop, Hannibal."

"When she is older, of course," Hannibal amends.   
  
  


* * *  
  
  
  


Their third is another alpha girl, Thalia Lecter.

Maya now 3 years old and close to turning four, Alex just a mere 10 months behind her. He's beginning to feel like a daycare and that he should be paid for this, because between bringing Maya to daycare, picking up groceries with three children strapped to him as he stares deeply at the list Hannibal wrote out for him to pick up things like _figs_ and specialized kinds of mustard's in French, he's beginning to lose his mind.

Just a bit.

"Mama," Maya says, her tone as demanding as always. Whenever they go to the grocery store she always looks more hyper-aware, eyes drawn to each corner of the room as though trying to seek out some invisible boogeyman. Hannibal had explained to their daughter in kind finalized tones that he understood her need to keep Will at home, but grocery shopping was a necessity that Will had to do alone at times.

"Yes sweety?" He hums out, absently patting her head as he glares between a bottle of _100% Canadian fine grained mustard_ and a mustard in a language he can't even decipher. Does it really matter? Aren't they all mustard's?

"No!" Alex chirps, reaching out for Will and _finally_ Will tears his eyes away from the the shelves to figure out what is upsetting his children, only to be met with the curious expression of Jack Crawford.

" _Go away!_ " Maya screeches, drawing the attention of other people in the store, less than pleased and eagerly reaching out to grab Will, her childish small teeth baring themselves in her best to look threatening to the alpha that just entered their sphere. Will, briefly, wonders if maybe he should start wearing a sign like ' _3 dominate alpha's, please do not approach me_ '.

Jack's smile is wobbly as he looks down at her.

Will smooths down Maya's fine blonde hair, leaning forward to kiss her forehead briefly, "Its fine sweety, I know him."

"No," Maya adds, cheeks puffing up in disobedience, death grip on the front of Will's shirt which is followed by Alex in the cart reaching out to grab him as well.

"Sorry, they're dominate alpha's, if you could move further from me that'd be great." He mumbles out to Jack, Jack seems to hesitate for a second as though his own scaly alpha brain is thinking _why should I move for kids_? Before he reluctantly does, moving back enough to ease away Maya's anxiety just slightly. "Whatever it is, make it kid friendly."

Jack's expression doesn't waver and Will has a good idea that Jack has probably been staking out their house to figure out exactly when he can approach Will when he's alone. Hannibal, while he is far from a traditional alpha most days, does not let Jack Crawford near him since the time Jack had come to their house at 3:05 on a Tuesday after Alex was born looking for Will's insight. Sometimes Will wants to ask ' _can I work_?' but bites his tongue; he couldn't do that to their children. They're too young and too anxious whenever they're apart from Will for any length of time.

He also has no doubt in his mind the moment Hannibal steps home tonight, Maya being the dutiful first born she is, will report to her father to the best of her limited verbal capabilities will let her and that Hannibal will not be pleased.

"Not exactly kid friendly," Jack admits, tugging out a newspaper clipping, "You've seen the news, Will?"

"Been busy, Jack." And he has, Thalia was only born two months ago. It isn't exactly easy to juggle a bunch of kids under the age of five and outside of raising them, going grocery shopping and trying to convince Hannibal about how good _dogs_ would be, he's had his hands full.

"I need your help," Jack confesses shamelessly enough, chest puffing out and attempting to look big an intimidating as though to say ' _don't you dare deny me_ '. "I just need you to look for me."

He wants to. He wants to help look once, but he knows if he helps them once and lets Jack into his life it won't end as a casual favour to Jack, it'll become a full time job on top of raising a bunch of children until he will have to forcibly draw the line in the sand. And even then, he's sure Jack will smudge the line, tip-toe over it until he's back on the other side.

"Look, Jack, I can't." Will says carefully, just grabbing the dumb foreign mustard and tossing it into his cart, absentmindedly rubbing at the top of Thalia's head, "I have three kids that won't let people come near me, let alone leave the house without Hannibal's approval, I can't exactly be your bloodhound anymore."

Jack prickles at that, "I'm not asking you to work for us again, I just need a bit of your insight, Will."

"The fact that you're here interrogating me in the grocery store means Hannibal said no to you, and you think I'm going to go behind his back?"

"I think you want to help people," Jack snaps, loud and authoritative. Will refuses to cower, refuses to let his omegan instincts take over and seem distressed, because he has children. Children that will absolutely freak out. He feels a flare of anger at Jack, wishing he could smack the front of his cart right into Jack before continuing on with his list.

"I _want_ to continue shopping so I can get home." Will snaps back, but Jack doesn't move out of his way and Will must let some of frustration seep through because Maya is immediately reaching out, letting loud distressed noises that causes everyone in the store to immediately turn their attention right on them.

_Dammit_ , Will's anger deflates immediately into embarrassment at letting his emotions get the better of him, a passing couple with an alpha approaching and asking in a careful pleasant tone, "Are you okay? Is this man bothering you?" Will eyes the man warily, middle-class, kind, probably has a few children himself with at least one alpha in the bunch if he's recognizing that Will's alpha children are reacting to his distress.

"Bother!" Maya agree's loudly, hands smacking down on the metal bar in frustration, "Bad! Go away!" Alex following her lead but mostly just chanting a soft, _no_!

The stranger chuckles gently, not approaching nor leaving and Will shoots Jack what he hopes comes out as a withering look. A part of him, just to be petty, wants to say ' _yes, this man is bothering me_ ' but he refuses to be seen as some sort of helpless omega needing help from absolute strangers to make Jack fucking Crawford go away.

"No, sorry," Will says, dragging a hand over his face and exhaling loudly, "Its fine. Sorry, dominates."

"Ah yeah, must be hard," the alpha agree's in casual conversation, his omegan wife stepping up from behind him with a kind smile drawn on her face. "We have one, not a dominate, so I can't imagine how much worse that'd be."

"Mine hated me even leaving the house," the wife offers, beaming gently and Maya seems to quiet down in the new omega's presence, as though absolutely _fascinated_ by the idea that there are omega's outside of her mother. He can imagine Maya babbling back to their father in babyish tones that make no sense but probably attempting to convey her excitement to the discovery.

"Yeah," Will weakly says, wishing everyone would just step away and let him continue. At this point he doesn't even want to continue shopping, just considering leaving the cart here and heading straight back home. Hannibal wouldn't be angry, Hannibal would just be Hannibal and offer to do the shopping tomorrow in Will's stead.

"Not mama!" Maya says, sounding absolutely thrilled in sudden awareness, bright eyes focusing straight on the stranger's wife and reaching out with greedy hands, before as though remembering Jack exists, warily looking over to the alpha, before turning back to the new omega, bravely saying a sharp, "Not safe!"

The woman chuckles, "Oh, how sweet, are you trying to protect me?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" The man asks again, taking a step closer, and Maya goes quiet.

"Jack Crawford with the FBI," Jack snaps out, apparently having had enough of random strangers questioning his integrity, "This is an ex-employee of mine."

"Yeah, _ex-employee_ ," Will grumbles back, giving the completely strangers a tight smile, "Thanks, but its fine, I can handle it."

They both frown at that, obviously not believing Will that he can handle this on his own. But they step away in concession, shooting Jack a doubtful gaze before they excuse themselves to continue their own shopping.

"Take a look and get back to me." There's a tone of finality there, that Will _will_ look and _will_ get back to Jack. Will grits down on his back molars.

Will snatches the newspaper clipping from Jack and ditches his half-finished grocery shopping in the middle of the store, before on his way out promptly shoves the newspaper straight into the trash can outside the store.

"Home?" Maya questions, peering up at her mother with wide hopeful eyes.

Will smiles tightly back down to her, "Yup, let's go home."  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


When Hannibal returns home Will is busying himself with feeding Thalia and watching in disinterest as Maya and Alex talk in half actual words and baby nonsense sounds whilst being enthralled by the wooden castle and the small lego pieces they use for playing rather than the actual dolls Hannibal had bought with the castle.

Hannibal greets him with his typical kiss before planting kisses to the top of the heads to their children. Alex stirring and giving his father an annoyed look for being disturbed especially considering how Maya immediately abandons her toys to follow Hannibal into the kitchen with happy squeals of ' _dada_!'

"You did not get groceries," Will hears the fridge click shut and refuses to turn to look at Hannibal, instead keeping his focus on Thalia. Hannibal's tone isn't accusing or angry, simply stating a fact. Hannibal is a good alpha he doesn't push nor does he get angry when Will doesn't do something.

"Interruptions."

A thin brow arches at that, "Interruptions?"

"Not mama!" Maya echoes in agreement and Hannibal peers down at her, head tilted in mild interest. _Little brat_ , Will can't help but think vengefully. He's not sure if Hannibal had somehow trained their children to report back to him, or if its just in their nature to report back to the head of the household, but still its annoying.

"Yes, I am not your mother I am your father," amicably agree's Hannibal as he begins to pull out ingredients for tonight's dinner, "Did you go out today, Maya?"

"Yes," Maya nods, head bobbing happily and greedily taking the vegetables that Hannibal puts into her hands for her to bring to the counter top. "Mama but not mama."

"She saw another omega," Will explains carefully, pleased that his daughter is more occupied about the idea of another omega than Jack and for a second he really thinks he's about to escape the confiding that Jack had sought Will out. He doesn't know why he doesn't want Hannibal to know, but he knows the moment Hannibal does find out he will take it as his duty to put Jack in his place when Will should be able to do that himself.

He can fight his own battles.

"How exciting." Hannibal turns on the stove to allow a pot of water to get ready for boiling, smiling down at her with feigned innocence, "Did you go to the grocery store?"

"Mmh!" Maya hums in agreement pausing stonily before as though remembering she had something important occur and Will clicks his tongue, carefully placing Thalia onto his shoulder to burp her at the same time Alex echoes a proud confident ' _No_!'

Hannibal ignores Alex instead turning to Will, "So you had went?"

"Got tired and left."

"Bad man," Maya adds while skirting past Hannibal and rushing back into the living-room and tossing herself onto Will's knee, cooing to her omega mother with small repetitive, ' _mama ok, ok mama?_ ' obviously trying to comfort a distressed omega even though Will is not distressed. Will sighs, carefully brushing back her ashy blonde hair and smiling at her with what he hopes comes out as reassurance rather than a grimace.

"I'm okay, Maya."

"Will."

Will pauses his ministrations and licks his teeth carefully, "I saw Jack."

"By accident?" Hannibal's tone is icy, a cold tundra of anger. When Hannibal had first got angry at Jack coming into their home Alex had cried at the change in scent while Maya had bubbled out a more anxious ' _mama_ ', but this time Alex and Maya seem undisturbed by the slight anger, instead coddling around Will as though to reassure him.

"Asked me to look, I tossed out the newspaper. Look, Hannibal, its fine. Even if I wanted to help Jack I don't exactly have the time."

"Yes," Hannibal agree's, scent fading into something less harsh and into the smooth cool breeze it usually is. Like fine aged wine, or the scent of open fields, with a darker tang of something mixed in. He returns in his ministrations of continuing dinner before saying carefully, "Now is as good of a time as any then, I was considering that further discussion having pets in the home."

Will's eyes finally do light up, "Dogs?"

Hannibal seems almost pained when he offers, "Only two is what I'll concede on."


End file.
